A common APA Style error I see students make in their theses (and other assessments) relates to abbreviation use.
Prior to submitting your thesis, check that you:
1. Do NOT Alternative between Spelling Out a Term and Abbreviating It
According to the APA 7th edition Style Guide, after you define an abbreviation,
use only the abbreviation. Do not alternate between spelling out a term and abbreviating it.
Double check you haven't made this errr using the FIND AND REPLACE function in Word. For example, if you have abbreviated the American Psychiatric Association to APA in your thesis - I would use the find and replace function in Word to search for "American Psychiatric Association" and replace it with APA in case you have missed any.
2. Use an Abbreviation at Least Three Times
According to the APA 7th edition Style Guide, "if you abbreviate a term, use the abbreviation at least three times in a paper. If you use the abbreviation only once or twice, readers may have difficulty remembering what it means, so writing the term out each time aids comprehension. "
You can quickly check how many times you have abbreviated a term using the FIND AND REPLACE function in Word. If its less than three times - spell it out!
Happy Researching!
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